Chapter Avoidance #5
Slade had plans to use the Ring and Wolves until it wasn’t beneficial for him. The problem with that was everyone involved in the Ring thought they were the smartest person around. If Slade thought he could outsmart the Vampire in charge, he wasn’t thinking deviously enough.
If I figured that out from a snide comment… a Vampire would already be anticipating his betrayal. Slade was a bad Hunter after all. He’d corrupted their group to hate all Supernatural’s… it would be silly to discount those that felt that way.
Freya said, “The Ring doesn’t know we know their real purpose, along with Royal family.
They have no idea Anastasia is in the Resistance.
Nor do they know we are working with her to restore Hunters and Huntresses to their true purpose.
” Fair enough… but they had to know the Hunters true purpose…
the Supernatural Council definitely did.
I shook myself when I heard fighting start inside.
I quickly slipped into my old home using the back door.
It was jarring to be back in this moment yet again.
Then it hit me, unlike all the other times I was thrust into that illusion I could change this one…
actually change it, not just try to. I could finally fix this.
I ran across the room and shoved the younger me down and took a shot to the hip. I gasped in pain, that feeling was just like I remembered it to be. It stung. The younger me asked, “We are in the Ribbon? Does Xander save us? That’s so cool!”
I heard Tristan’s voice behind me. Freya told me, “That’s not really Apollo.” I watched as my older brother barreled across the room to us. The younger me screamed, “LOOK OUT, T!” I didn’t think about anything other than saving my brother. I jumped up in front of him taking a bullet to the abdomen.
The younger me screamed, but I couldn’t take a breath to tell her it was ok. The man pretending to be my brother gaped at me. I whispered, “I couldn’t watch it happen again, T. I could finally change it. How about that?” The fake Tristan blinked at me rapidly.
Freya sighed, “It’s still not him. This man doesn’t even have a wolf.” I knew that… but it looked like him. The younger me was crying and I was dizzy. I was fading, but I knew my Xander was now here. He tried to heal me, but I knew I was being sent back.
Before I could tell him not to worry because my brothers would be waiting, I was back in the men’s bathroom at the school. Tristan saw me first. My oldest brother yelled, “WHAT THE FUCK?!” I touched his face, “It didn’t happen this time, T. I finally saved you.”
Tristan whispered, “You called me T.” I said, “I finally changed it.” My older brother gaped at me then shook himself. He pulled out his phone and Jason picked me up. He told Tristan, “I’ll get her to the nurse's office. There have to be supplies in there.”
I wheezed, “You’re not supposed to pick up people who have been injured or shot.
” Jason ordered, “Zip it with your facts, Ladybug!” He started to run, and I bit my lip because the jostling hurt a lot.
Freya told me, “He can smell the silver from the bullet. Not that makes it different from a regular bullet to us, but he’s panicked. So is Ajax.”
Jason set me down in the nurse's office. Tristan ran in announcing, “Eric is getting Haley. They will be here in a second.” My older brother looked worriedly at me. I tried to laugh but failed. I coughed then said, “Silver doesn’t hurt me like it does you guys. I’m fine. ” Tears filled Tristan’s eyes.
A pop filled the room. Haley shouted, “What the actual flying fuck?! It’s a goddamn dance and someone is firing shots? Why didn’t ANY of my children pull or link us?! Where is my son?” I answered, “He’s still in the Ribbon… and I got shot in my old house… not here.”
Haley questioned, “What? Alexander took a fucking nap at the dance?!” I shook my head, “No… he just went down and said he had to close his eyes… then I went.” Haley muttered, “Motherfucking obnoxious goddesses and their fucked up timing.”
“I swear to god! They just want to piss me the fuck off, so I light their asses up. I will be better than them. They haven't even set the standard high or anything.” What on earth was she talking about? A healing light appeared around me, and I was floating.
When I came to, everyone was staring at me with worried expressions except Haley. I looked down, “Hey, that’s cool. You even got the blood out of the dress and there are no bullet holes. Thanks! I really like this dress, it has pockets!” Haley smiled at me.
Jason shouted, “We are going to talk about pockets right now?!” I sighed, “No one wants me to talk about pockets apparently. Just because I make excellent points, that women’s pants makers are sexist jerks who won’t give women real pockets…
everyone rolls their eyes… but I’m right…
and I have research to show anyone who did give women appropriate pockets… would win the market.” Tristan snorted.
Before anyone could say anything else Xander popped in.
He was annoyed that I'd taken a bullet for a fake Tristan, but I couldn’t help it.
He was my big brother. Being back there…
I knew how traumatizing that night was supposed to be for that version of myself.
She didn’t deserve the nightmares I’d had.
Tristan linked me, “YOU TOOK A BULLET FOR THE FAKE ME?!” I replied, “That me will never have those nightmares that I do…. of seeing the bullet pierce your skin over and over.”
“I doubt the illusion continued for her to see our parents die, but it was all… awful… and I had to change it. You don’t know how much I tried to change it when I kept seeing it… and it was my chance. I couldn’t….not change it. It was everything I wanted to do that night.”
Tristan’s gaze softened. My big brother told me, “I’ll take a bullet for you any day ending in Y.” No, he would not because I would never let that happen. He would remain free of bullet holes… because he had to. I could not go through that again.
They all compared notes on how we ended up here. I couldn’t believe how thorough the Ring had been in their plans. Why me? Sure, Ezra had a vendetta against my dad. The higher ups in the Ring weren’t just agreeing to some massive plot like this without a reason though.
I knew they didn’t know I was the white wolf, or I’d have been locked up in a dungeon somewhere and experimented on. So why had they done this? Just because they could? It seemed like there had to be some other reason.
Addison linked me, “I would normally assume you were off having sex with your mate because you’ve been gone so long, except my mate disappeared too. So, that’s not what you’re doing. What’s going on?”
I replied, “We are heading back.” Addison said, “That doesn’t tell me what’s going on, but ok.” I replied, “That’s a tomorrow conversation. This has been a loving fun filled evening and goddesses being catty are not going to ruin it.” Addison agreed, “Afreakingmen.”
I got the group to head back. The other girls deserved to have a night unruined by weirdness. They could be told tomorrow about the weird Ribbon happenings of today. It was Paige’s engagement night and nothing was ruining that.
Everyone agreed when I basically asked to just be normal. I could see the pain in all their eyes. That hadn’t been my intention, but it got everyone moving in the right direction. Gabe and Cayden were waiting in the hallway. I’d be surprised, except I wasn’t. Freya snickered at my thoughts.
Gabe teased me about knowing his mate again.
Angelique came to mind right away. That was crazy…
. I wasn’t sure it was though. They made sense to me.
I’d have to be Emmaline or Aria Lyons to be sure…
and I wasn’t so… it remained a guess. I could ask either of those women though…
then work it out for Angelique to be around.
Angelique needed a new hiding place every so often…. and what better place than the Hackura realm… where she could see Kingsley again? That had merit. Freya chuckled, “You maneuver people so well.” I mean… even if Angelique wasn’t Gabe’s they’d have fun together.
The rest of the dance went by smoothly. I found Tank and gave him a big hug. Tank chuckled, “What’s that for?” I whispered, “You fought so hard for me… and… you always believed me… and in me. I’m sorry I let you down.”
Tank replied, “You have never let me down. What are you talking about?” I linked him, “The Ribbon pulled me, and I went to that night I was kidnapped. You fought back when you were spelled, and Robert stomped on you. Your lung was collapsing, and you still fought back…you believed I could win the fight and I let you down.”
Tank declared, “You did not let me down, the deck was stacked for you to lose. You’ve always felt a little sister or cousin to me.
I hate that I didn’t manage to get a link out and keep you home.
I hate that fucker for compelling me, and I’ve stomped on Robert.
Levi took me, T, and Jase to see that asshole. ”
I nodded because he deserved that. I hummed, “Well… umm thanks. For… fighting for me.” Tank replied, “Anytime, Ladybug.” Ziggy grabbed him and we went back to the dance floor.
No one attacked and everyone but me had a normal night. My night was mostly normal… just the one hiccup. I could live with that. Xander took me to Al’s diner afterwards. Freya chuckled, “I love how this excites you.”
I couldn't believe I was actually here… in Al’s diner.
I felt like a rebel for some reason. When we got back in the car Freya urged, “Let’s go skinny dipping!
” I replied, “We can’t do that.” Freya said, “Sure we can! Come on, I know you want to. It was in one of your plans that I now have access to the memory of.”